Contradictory
by Fandork
Summary: Sasunaru. Short, oneshot. Contemplations: Sasuke doubts that Naruto knows doubt, while Naruto doubts that the instructions on the instant ramen are just right.


A/N: Short, one-shot, SasuNaru contemplations. I dredged this up from some old, old stuff.

Please review!

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Naruto ran up to him, virtually sputtering away about "Sakura-Chan," or "Kakashi-Sensei", or whomever. With constantly flushed cheeks, short breath, and bluer eyes than anyone else could ever attest to, he chattered along, paused a few beats and began again, tugging briefly at Sasuke's sleeve.

Only then did Sasuke begin to follow closely behind the other boy's heels, who had already turned and headed back in the direction he had just come from.

Naruto never saw need to conceal his emotions, and Sasuke thought it was likely he didn't know how to, whether he realized it or not. His lack of restraint with his companions embarrassed Sasuke. And it irritated him more often that. But usually, what bothered him most of all was how he responded to Naruto's unadulterated excitement.

It bothered him how his body leaned in approvingly to the light touches on his shoulders, because this made him doubt himself—Doubt his strength, and his capability, and whether he could actually be by himself again when the time came.

He shifted his headband, fingering the Konoha symbol that was imprinted there. Naruto, he would think, didn't even _know_ of doubt.

---

Sometimes Naruto doubted that the instructions on the instant ramen were just right.

He reached out and turned the dial of the stove until the 'click' sounded off. As he removed the pot, he hissed nervously from the threat of hot noodles spilling over the top.

He always kept the ramen cooking longer just in case, because who knew ramen better than him? And so maybe one day when he was Hokage, he would write to the instant ramen companies and tell them so. Maybe years ahead—but not too many years—he would manage one of those companies, or even his own shop…

He sank himself deeply into the depression of his bed, settling his bowl of noodles on his lap. The springs of the tattered mattress were on the verge of their last days beneath him.

Shoveling a few mouthfuls of ramen at once, he considered his future in regards to ramen. Clearly, he would make a great ramen chef, and why he had never thought of it before escaped him.

Within a few moments, he dropped his spoon into his empty bowl, and just as easily the deep thoughts of ramen subsided.

Iruka-Sensei had paid him a visit the day before. When he had come over he had graciously brought a store of Naruto's favorite brand of instant ramen and an extra bed sheet he had told Naruto he didn't really need.

A soft grin quickly lifted up a corner of his mouth, and he curled the white sheet under his fingers.

Normally Iruka would have stayed a bit longer at Naruto's apartment, but he had remained shortly, explaining how he was going to drop by Sasuke's place afterwards.

Naruto smiled to himself, running a hand through his blond tufts of hair. He thought that Sasuke really could use an Iruka-Sensei, even if he would never admit to it, and he was glad to share. Iruka-Sensei was someone he could talk to in ways he never had been given a chance to with anyone before—to trust, and to laugh with, and cry to, and even share ramen with.

What more could a snarky bastard like Sasuke need?

---

Sasuke had never needed company like this before.

Everyone once in while along the dirt streets of their village, the blond boy he was walking with would kick up a pebble and turn around, directing a question to him, like "Right?" or "Don't you think?"

And although Sasuke never really answered back Naruto would continue on as if he had, and Sasuke conceded to the fact that maybe Naruto understood him after all.

It was like an erratic game of Ping Pong at best, but the dark-haired-boy admitted to himself that he enjoyed the other's presence at least some of the time--But most certainly _not_ the times Naruto became the badgering loudmouth Sasuke had always known him to be.

Which he readily would offer was what most of the idiot's natural born life was spent doing.

Naruto boisterously moved along the streets ahead of him, paying no notice to all the villagers he left upset in his wake. He exclaimed something and punched the air emphatically, a motion of insistence to what he must have said.

Sasuke found himself averting his eyes, because he knew there had to be a neon arrow above him claiming that he in fact, _was_ "With Stupid."

Naruto was just _so loud_, and Sasuke couldn't stand it.

---

Naruto couldn't stand how Sasuke was always so quiet.

He _hated_ silence.

When he found himself locked in Sasuke's eyes, though, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find words to break it. He just couldn't _speak_.

Because everything about the moment was contradictory.

Because everything about _them _was contradictory.

…

…

…

End.

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ProdigyFandork,

Emi :D


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